La Verne Postal Goers Give a Penny for Their Thoughts

January 28, 2013
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Bricks and mortar for now; perhaps, bricks and mortal down the line, unless the postal service can create new revenue streams to offset rising retiree benefit costs and other expenses..

Bricks and mortar for now; perhaps, bricks and mortal down the line, unless the postal service can create new revenue streams to offset rising retiree benefit costs and other expenses..

When people visited the La Verne post office on Monday morning, they were greeted with a one cent increase in the price of postage. A first-class stamp now costs 46 cents. Postcard postage rose as well, to 33 cents.

The increases were steeper for mailing outside the United States. Letters to Mexico and Canada increased to $1.05 from 85 cents. Other international destinations are now $1.10.

Overall, prices for mailing and shipping services will increase by 4 percent on average, with priority mail prices rising 6.3 percent.

The increases come as the U.S. Postal Services faces a solvency crisis during a growing era of online communications and online bill-paying.

Visitors to the La Verne postal branch accepted the latest postal increases with resignation.

“Postage is just going up along with everything else,” said Joan, who was picking up mail for her 90-year-old mother. “I really dislike coming here. All I ever get is junk mail anyway.”

A pony tail-wearing man disliked the new crooked number less than the actual cost of the stamp.

“Make it a round number, 40 cents or 50 cents,” he said. “Sheesh, when are they going to figure this stuff out?”

That begged the question, do we even need a post office anymore? Are they still relevant in today’s online world?
“Probably not,” Joan said.

Anticipating the increase, another woman said she had purchased reams of “Forever” stamps, which allow her to continue mailing her letters, of one ounce or less, for the old 45 cent price per stamp.

Then she acknowledged the obvious. “I guess nothing lasts ‘Forever,’” she said. “Not even the post office.”

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